Review: Dandelion Ocumare Venezuela

Richard's Rating: 7.0

chocolate maker Dandelion bar Ocumare region Venezuela plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year 2012 size 56g ~ 2.0oz cocoa solids 70% added fat (none) sweetener cane sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price $8.00

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1015 Bracken texture smooth, glossy, scoring, imprints, adhered bits aroma roast (malt), earth, fruit (berry), spice snap hard taste roast (malt), earth, sweet, nut, tannin, spice (cinnamon), fruit melt smooth length medium finish tannin, somewhat sour

U.S. chocolate maker Dandelion released their Ocumare, Venezuela bar earlier this spring. All Dandelion chocolate is made with only two ingredients: cacao beans and cane sugar, and is produced in a nut-free facility.

Ocumare contained 70% cacao beans and 30% cane sugar. The two ounce bar was scored into 18 pieces, each with five parallel squiggles. It came wrapped in heavy gold-sided foil inside a pretty craft paper outer wrapper. I am always impressed by both the wrappers and heavy foil used by Dandelion. The wrapper was sealed closed with a sticker on the back, initialed by the person who made the batch (Todd Masonis) and the person who packaged the bar (MG). There was no production or best before date, but the batch was identified as 3.

The chocolate had a medium brown Bracken (PANTONE 19-1015) color. The surface was smooth and glossy. There were some adhered chocolate bits and a tiny bit of scuffing, but the bar looked great as usual. The snap was hard, almost brittle.

The aroma of Ocumare was a malt roast. I also smelled scents of earth, fruit, and spice. The fruit seemed to include some berry.

Ocumare tasted of the malt from the aroma. Along with that malt roast were flavors of earth, sweetness, nut, and a cinnamon spice. I experienced tannin as well.

The melt was smooth. The chocolate flavor lasted more than 30 seconds after the chocolate was gone, giving it a medium length. The final aftertaste was tannin and somewhat sour.

Ocumare was another delicious chocolate from Dandelion, even if it didn't quite reach the heights of Amano Ocumare.

Unfortunately, Dandelion Ocumare, Venezuela is no longer available for purchase online.